Blitz on rogue landlords is on the cards
ANEW scheme could come into force aiming to drive rogue landlords out of Sefton.
The council is considering bringing in new rules under which owners of private rented properties would have to be licensed, with the demand that they meet a “fit and proper person” test.
The move is intended to help protect the safety and welfare of tenants, provide confidence in the rented sector, and set clear standards that landlords must follow.
It will also provide an environment that is less attractive for poor and criminal landlords and give the authority and landlords more powers in dealing with those tenants that chose to cause antisocial behaviour.
The rules would also allow Sefton to impose a number of conditions over managing the properties, with the ability to revoke licenses for premises where tenants are frequently found guilty of anti-social behaviour.
The council is now seeking your views on whether a selective licensing and additional house in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing scheme for private landlords is needed in parts of the borough.
A formal 12-week consultation involving residents, private landlords, businesses and others in the borough and its neighbouring authorities was launched on April 1, with comments invited up until Saturday, June 24.
The proposals affect a large number of people in areas including Southport, Formby, Crosby and Bootle, with 10,600 Local Housing Allowance claimants accommodated in the private rented sector in Sefton.
The results and final recommendations will be reported back later in the year for a cabinet decision.
Clare Taylor, Sefton Council’s housing standards manager, said: “Licensing schemes aim to improve the management of privately rented properties to ensure that they have a positive impact on an area.
“A selective licensing scheme would require all private landlords, who rent out a residential property in the Bootle area, to apply for a licence for each property they let.”
Bootle has been chosen because more than one in four (26%) of private rented homes currently fail to meet the “nondecent homes” standards. Officers also receive a “high rate of housing disrepair complaints”.
Ms Taylor added: “Additional licensing would require landlords of houses in multiple occupation located in parts of Waterloo, Brighton-le-Sands, Seaforth and Southport to be licensed.
“Licence holders must be a fit and proper person and various conditions can then be applied to the licence which would enable the council to easily challenge standards and management practices of properties including instances of anti-social behaviour of tenants.
“If this could affect you, please get in touch.”
Between 2012 and 2016, the council received 267 service requests from HMO properties, of which 251 complaints were from unlicensed HMOs.
For more information, or to take part in the consultation, go to: www. sefton. gov. uk/ privatehousing or www.melresearch. co. uk/ page/ sefton or call 0800 073 0348.